Feeling insecure when beginning a new career is normal, but if you allow that insecurity to take over, you may find that your struggles will linger beyond the typical learning curve. In the first few weeks of your work as a new dental assistant, it’s important to take steps to actively build your confidence. Building confidence will not only make your daily work more comfortable but will allow you to become more successful as a dental assistant.Female patient with dentist and dental assistant, performing a dental treatment.

Be Proactive

As a new dental assistant, you will be taking a lot of direction from the rest of the dental staff. The first weeks of any new job typically involve a training period where others will dictate much of what you do as you learn the role and routine. However, while your job will still have routines and schedules that need to be followed, one of the best things you can do to build your confidence and establish yourself as a quality dental assistant is to be proactive. If you see that you are assisting a dentist with a procedure in a particular room at a specific time, don’t wait for someone to tell you to set the room – know the needs of the job and take care of the setup proactively. As you become more established, you will become aware of the needs of your job and learn to anticipate them. A good way to get there faster is by active listening. Active listening means hearing what someone has told you and planning to meet their needs without being explicitly told. For example, during your training, the dental office administrator may tell you that you’ll be responsible for pulling the next day’s patient files at the end of the workday. Rather than waiting for someone to ask you to start, when you have a lull in your schedule, be proactive and start prepping for the next day. As you build confidence, the team will feel the shift and value you more as a team member.

Remember That You Have the Knowledge and Skills to Succeed

The first few weeks at a new job can be overwhelming. Only a few weeks ago you were in class and at the clinic learning how to be a dental assistant, and now, suddenly you are a dental assistant, working with real dentists and actual patients in a real office. It can be very easy to think that you aren’t ready for this and don’t know what to do. This is when you need to rely on your training. If you attend a quality dental assistant training program, you have the knowledge and skills to succeed. You are prepared. But also stay curious.

Mistakes are Part of Learning

No matter how good your training was, mistakes are part of learning, and as you go through your training in the dental office, mistakes may be expected, and it’s important that you don’t allow a learning curve to define who you are. You won’t be flawless in the beginning, so make sure to take any errors and make them teaching moments you can remember and learn from. For example, you may have discovered a certain routine for setup in dental assisting training school, but the dental office you are working with likes the setup to look slightly different, and you may be corrected. Rather than taking a correction as a message that you can’t do this job, note the change and adjust moving forward. As you learn, the most important thing you can do is stay positive and be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself at the end of each day and reflect on your growth.

Lean Into Your Organizational Tools

Some of what you learned in your dental assistant training was dental knowledge and clinical skills, but if you attended a quality training program, you built soft skills during your time in training as well, such as the ability to multitask, prioritize, and organize. Use the traits you honed in school and apply them to your new role. During the first few weeks at your new job, take the time to build habits and routines and focus on being as organized as you can about your new career.

Finding a Mentor is Key to Building Confidence

Having a mentor is one of the most essential parts of building confidence and finding success in your career. Find someone you trust to guide you and ask them for feedback during the first steps of your new job. The most helpful mentor day to day will likely be in the office with you, such as a more experienced dental assistant, administrative staff member, or technician, as they will have first-hand knowledge about the particulars of that practice, but it’s more important that you connect with your mentor and trust them to guide you. As you get to know the office staff and learn who you can connect with on this level, you may lean on mentors from your training. No matter who you find to guide you, trust them to be a good sounding board and know they want you to succeed.

While it can be overwhelming to begin a new career, trust your training, focus on growing, and find someone you can trust. If you take these steps to build confidence at the beginning of your career, you won’t feel insecure for long! South Florida Dental Assisting School provides the hands-on training and support to start your career confidently. Enroll today and take the first step toward success!